Football briefs: Injury might not be only problem for Buccaneers WR Galloway

Pro Football Weekly staff

Wednesday

Sep 24, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 24, 2008 at 12:23 AM

Also includes NFL whispers on the Bills, 49ers and Ravens, and Fantasy Buzz on Selvin Young and Michael Pittman, as well as Ben Roethlisberger

The Way We Hear It: Injury might not be only problem for Buccaneers WR Galloway

The way we hear it, a foot injury might not be the biggest concern when it comes to Buccaneers WR Joey Galloway. Close observers of the team are starting to wonder if he has lost some of his determination and intensity.

Galloway missed the team’s Week Three game in Chicago because of a foot sprain and he sat out the entire preseason with a groin injury. In Tampa Bay’s Week One loss, he appeared to quit on a route, but later explained that it was a matter of confusion and that he didn’t know the ball was coming to him.

The Bucs don’t want to acknowledge it, but these issues have made some wonder if Galloway is all that interested in football at the moment. It could just be that he’s dealing with a string of serious injuries. Perhaps it’s fatigue, although it’s still very early in the season. The 36-year-old is relatively underpaid for being a No. 1 wide receiver, and he’s in the second year of a three-year, $7.5 million deal. Maybe he’s unhappy with his contract. Whatever it is, sources say they get the feeling from watching him that he’s not into playing. Through two games, Galloway just hasn’t been the explosive target we’ve grown accustomed to witnessing. He has eight receptions for 74 yards (9.3 yards per catch), which is a steep drop-off from his career average of 15.7 yards per reception.

There are no indications from the team on how long Galloway is expected to be out, but he’s not a fast healer, as evidenced by the long-lingering groin injury in August, and it’s quite possible that he could miss two or three games before making a return. Tampa Bay will be lacking its No. 1 deep threat, so head coach Jon Gruden likely will look to his next speed options, WRs Antonio Bryant and rookie Dexter Jackson, to help pick up the slack in that area. Bryant caught 10 passes for 138 yards in Week Three. Gruden could place a greater emphasis on the short passing game, which would mean an increased focus on getting the ball to veteran Ike Hilliard, who has been a steady possession receiver. Hilliard caught six passes for 57 yards and a TD vs. the Bears.

NFL whispers

BILLS: Quality contributors such as DE Chris Ellis and DT John McCargo have already been listed as inactive for games this season, but we hear that it has little to do with the Bills’ confidence in them. Rather, it’s a function of the team’s 45-man active roster each week being formulated with special teams in mind, and those defensive linemen’s contributions in that area are minimal.

49ERS: WR Bryant Johnson has nothing but good things to say about QB J.T. O’Sullivan. “J.T. has a strong leadership quality that he brings to the huddle,” Johnson told PFW. “He handles all the peaks and valleys in a game with great poise. We have a real trust factor in his ability to make a big play, and he has a real strong arm.”

RAVENS: QB Troy Smith may be back working out with the club after a tonsil infection ended his bid for the starting job in August. However, he may have an uphill battle to be anything but the emergency quarterback this season, the way we hear it, considering the time he’s missed, the strength he must regain and team’s comfort with keeping QB Todd Bouman in the No. 2 role behind Joe Flacco.

The Fantasy Buzz

Everyone runs on the Chiefs — they’re allowing 204 rushing yards per game — and that could mean a big week for Broncos RBs Selvin Young and Michael Pittman. Young is gaining a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry, and Pittman already has four TDs. They each could be very productive in what likely will be a Denver romp, meaning lots of carries in the second half.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, already dealing with various injuries, now has to face the ferocious Ravens defense, which is allowing only 90 yards passing per contest. Baltimore already has shut down two prolific QBs, so Big Ben isn’t likely to air it out often against them. If you have another viable option, this would be the week to use him.

For more NFL news and daily fantasy football advice, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

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